COSTA Blanca beaches have been closed after the arrival of potentially deadly Portuguese Men O’War. Town hall chiefs hoisted the red flag up at beaches in Altea near Benidorm yesterday “until further notice”.

Related articles

The jellyfish-like creatures are said to have been spotted in Ibiza last week

A famous Ibiza beach was closed just under a fortnight ago because of the jellyfish-like creatures.

Local authorities closed the crescent-shaped Ses Salines beach near the British tourist hotspot of Playa d’en Bossa after several of the creatures appeared on the sand.

The iconic beach, popular with regular Ibiza visitor Kate Moss, is home to the famous Jockey Club restaurant.

Surfers were also forced to leave the water around the same time after spotting Portuguese Men O’War at Es Torrent beach, an unspoiled beach near glam Ibiza hotspot Cala Jondal where Prince William stayed with girlfriend Kate Middleton before they married.

It was thought to be the first time in five years Portuguese Men O’War, which can deliver a painful and sometimes deadly sting, had been seen in Ibiza.

GETTY

Beaches across Spain are closed until further notice

Experts said at the time they expected more to arrive over the coming weeks as they were carried on currents from their natural habitat in the Atlantic.

Their presence in the Mediterranean have been blamed on strong westerly winds over the last few days.

The Portuguese Man O’War is often called a jellyfish but is actually a species of siphonophore, a group of animals that are closely related to jellyfish.

Their tentacles are loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralysing and killing small fish and crustaceans.

They are rarely deadly to people but can be dangerous to children, elderly people, asthmatics and people with allergies as they can cause fever, shock and respiratory distress.